Writer: Lester Gan Wai Lun

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"Badges Of Fury" directed by Wong Chi Ming is an action-comedy flick starring Jet Li and Wen Zhang, making this their third collaboration together as co-stars after "Ocean Heaven" and "The Sorcerer And The White Snake"; both of which were fairly mediocre films. So what can one expect in this film? Yes, it is yet another sub-par film by the duo, this time failing to deliver both the action and laughter to its audience.

It feels as though this film was made for the sole purpose of raking in a healthy profit from unsuspecting fans of the huge line-up of mainland stars. With that said, it is as clear as day that this film was made for the fans of Chinese cinema, utilizing movie parodies as their main source of comedy. Unfamiliar moviegoers will find head scratching an appropriate activity throughout many cringe-worthy attempts to obtain laughter.

Jet Li and Wen Zhang both played detectives that were handed a serial murder case which then ends up as a classic cat-and-mouse chase for the killer; the fight scenes were extremely exaggerated and hardly believable. Director Wong Chi Ming, although somewhat obligated to make the action scenes a little silly, should have left the action and comedy separate, maybe then we might have a slightly more enjoyable film because it is pretty clear cut to everyone that Jet Li is capable of dishing out captivating fight scenes and Wen Zhang is a brilliant comedic actor. Instead we are left with a film that is sitting right in the middle of both action and comedy. You know a comedy-action film has failed when a film like "Iron Man 3" that wasn't grouped in the comedy genre delivers better action and comedic values.

Big names like Hong Kong stars Raymond Lam, Stephen Fung and Kevin Cheng and Chinese actor Huang Xiaoming all made cameo appearances in this film. Blink and you might not even see them so make sure you empty your bladders if you are watching for these names above.

The plot is weak and senseless, but everyone knows better than to pay money for a film titled "Badges Of Fury" expecting a great well-written story. With that mindset, this film would definitely not disappoint. Fans of Chinese cinema can and probably will enjoy this film, but it is just not for the mass public or even hardcore Jet Li fans. A funnier story would be one where you tell your friends how this film took your money and made you sit through 98 minutes of borderline torture.

Cinema Online, 15 July 2013